Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p2.djvu/50

 until the 14th Sept., when I fell in with the ship Brothers, of London, from Tobago, being one of a very large fleet from the Leeward Islands, under convoy of H.M.S. Illustrious, from which she had separated in a gale of wind, with many others. This ship being very leaky, and much in want of provisions, the master requested my protection and assistance. I accordingly gave him instructions, and sent two men to assist at the pumps; but she was so ill found, and sailed so heavy, that she detained us at least one-third of our daily distance.

“On the evening of the 24th, the Grand Sachem requested permission to part company, being bound to Milford, which she did accordingly the next morning. We were then to the northward, in the stream of Scilly, and in long. 12 W. At noon we saw several ships to the W.N.W., but too distant to form any positive idea of their being either friends or enemies. It was then nearly calm; but a light breeze springing up from the westward enabled them to near us fast, and night coining on, I kept between them and the convoy.

“At day-light on the 26th they had neared us considerably; and the Brothers sailing so much worse than the rest of the convoy, kept me considerably astern. Had I not been unfortunately detained by this ship, all would have been well. At six A.M. observing the number of strange ships increased to thirteen, apparently large vessels, closely connected, and evidently in chase of us, I made the necessary arrangements for the escape of my convoy, should they prove an enemy’s squadron. At 11, I made the private signal, and waited until noon for its being answered, which did not take place. I then hailed the Indus, informed the Captain that it was an enemy’s squadron in chase of us, and ordered him to make all possible sail ahead with the convoy, ami at the same time the signal was made to them that an enemy was in sight

“The squadron nearing us fast, I soon perceived a three-decker, and four other ships of the line, with frigates and smaller vessels; and as I saw it was next to impossible for both H.M. ship and the convoy to escape, I determined to protect the latter, and favour their escape at all events. My own convoy having made all sail ahead, I again dropped astern to speak the Brothers, and recommended him to haul upon a wind to the northward, which he immediately did. I then made sail to intercept a large frigate, which was drawing up fast with the convoy. At three P.M. this frigate being on our starboard bow, having passed me out of gun-shot, began firing her stern-chase guns, which we returned with a bow chase. This continued until, by the frigate’s shortening sail, we got abreast of her, when both ships opened their fire, but without any material effect, in consequence of the distance the frigate preserved by her superior sailing, and my leading off to the southward to favor the convoy escaping. The distant cannonade continued upwards of an hour, when the frigate hauled entirely out of gun-shot. During all this time I kept running to the southward, in hopes of drawing the enemy’s squadron after